


Doppelganger

by Writcraft



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Character Death, Dark, Horror, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-03
Updated: 2014-04-03
Packaged: 2018-01-18 00:17:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1407952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writcraft/pseuds/Writcraft
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was just a silly dare, but one ill-advised trip into the Forbidden Forest changes Harry’s life forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doppelganger

It was only meant to be a stupid dare.

Just a bit of fun, Parkinson had said. Ron had told Harry it would be a right laugh and besides, it wasn’t anything that hadn’t been done before. 

_Scared, Potter?_

_Hardly._

Malfoy was just about the only person that was always able to goad Harry into a pissing contest and he always knew just what to say to rile Harry into doing something daft.

Harry cursed under his breath and stumbled over another one of the moss-covered stones in the Forbidden Forest. He thought there should be a clearing coming up soon, but his head didn’t seem to be working quite right anymore and he wondered if perhaps he had just been walking around in circles all this time.

There were very few things that scared Harry. The idea of losing more people he loved kept him awake at night, long after the sun had set and the darkness of the night had set in. He sometimes thought he heard strange rumblings deep in the heart of Grimmauld Place, but then he would imagine Padfoot and Moony playing together in the shadows of the house and his heart would lift. He never thought being in the woods alone at night would make his heartbeat quicken or his breath catch in his throat. He had never expected to feel afraid.

He’d been here before, after all.

This time was different. This time Harry was more aware of the way the shadows moved of their own accord, and the way the trees seemed to whisper to one another as their branches lifted and dropped in the wind. 

Harry wasn’t ready to die. He was just about ready to _live_ because for the first time in as long as he could remember that seemed to be a realistic possibility. After reaching an amicable end to a brief relationship with Ginny, he’d begun to think of toned male bodies and the curious feelings they elicited in him when he sneaked a glance at one of the magazines Seamus kept stashed under his bed in Gryffindor Tower. 

Harry wanted to live so much, it physically hurt. He would swing open the window in the Gryffindor dormitory and breathe in crisp, cool air. He would fly his broom over Hogwarts grounds and dip and turn in the sky, thinking how lucky he was to be alive when it all could have been so very different.

He stumbled again and noticed a flash of blond hair in the distance. He righted himself and walked towards the place he was sure Malfoy had just been standing.

“I can see you, Malfoy. It’s against the rules to follow me around. I’d say that’s a forfeit.”

“I can’t help it if you’re following me. It’s hardly a forfeit.” Malfoy stepped out from behind one of the trees and leaned against the bark, contemplating Harry. “Come with me. There’s something you need to see.”

“I’m not falling for that.” Harry snorted.

“I’m serious.” A strange smile played over Malfoy’s lips and he lifted his hand, pointing towards a particularly dense patch of woodland. “Just over there.”

A sense of déjà vu made Harry stop in his tracks. He took in Malfoy’s slim build and the way he smiled serenely as if he didn’t have a care in the world. It was definitely Malfoy, but he was being far too nice for Harry’s liking. He had lost his usual swagger and the enunciated _Potter_ which he usually spat out as if the very sound of Harry’s name offended him.

The sounds and smells of Triwizard flooded Harry’s senses and he remembered Viktor Krum and the way his eyes had glazed over before he turned on Harry. Harry drew his wand quickly, but he was too late.

The spell hit Harry squarely on the centre of his chest, and his lungs filled with a sharp pain when he tried to breathe. The force of the spell caused Harry to fall to the ground. He clutched at the damp grass and retched, his forehead slick and hot with perspiration and his fingers streaked with blood and sweat.

When Harry could muster the strength so speak, he called out Malfoy’s name, but Malfoy was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

“Potter! I mean it, wake up. We need to get moving. We need to get moving _now_.” Harry woke to Malfoy’s voice in his ear.

“Is it really you?” Harry’s voice was thick and sluggish and whenever he tried to move, an unseen force held him down. “There’s something out there wearing your face.”

“I know.” Malfoy’s breathing hitched and he sounded scared. “Don’t leave me here, Potter – I think it’s coming for me.”

“Can’t move.” Harry tried to curl his fingers around his wand which was just within his grasp. They were thick with red, sticky liquid. Blood, he realised dimly. “Need help.”

“What the fuck am I supposed to do?”

“Save my life just like I saved yours.” 

“I had a feeling you were going to bring that up.” Malfoy reached over Harry and gripped his wand. “Damn you, Potter.”

Harry closed his eyes.

* * *

The liquid was thick and viscous. Harry swallowed it down, somewhere between sleep and waking. He patted the ground for his wand and found it just nearby. His body began to regain strength and he tipped his head to one side, opening his eyes.

“Malfoy?”

“About bloody time.” Malfoy wiped his lips with the back of his hand leaving a silvery trail from the corner of his mouth along his cheek.

Harry’s befuddled mind began to clear and he shifted himself into a sitting position as the wounds on his body began to pain him less. “What was that stuff?”

Malfoy gestured to the pool of silvery blood, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. “Unicorn blood, just like you said.”

* * *

“You’re a bloody idiot.” Harry stuffed his wand into his pocket and looked from left to right as the trees whispered around them.

“I saved your _life_.” Malfoy caught up with Harry and glared at him. “A thank you wouldn’t go amiss.”

“I’m not thanking you for using the Killing Curse on a unicorn. Merlin only knows what’s going to happen to us now. You can’t just go around doing stuff like that, there’s bound to be consequences.”

“If I hadn’t done anything you would have died. It seemed to be worth it to keep you alive. Now I’m half wishing I had just left you to bleed.” Malfoy cast a _Lumos_ and looked around. “Besides, you’re the one that told me about it. We’re lost.”

“Of course we’re lost.” Harry gritted his teeth. “What do you mean I told you about it?”

“About ten minutes after we went our separate ways, you found your way into the same clearing as me.” Malfoy’s brow furrowed. “Don’t you remember? You told me we had to separate again to keep face, but that if anything bad happened I should remember the unicorns in the forest. You said their blood would work as well as any bezoar or phoenix tears.”

“No.” Harry’s skin crawled and he shivered despite the warmth of the evening. “I didn’t.”

Malfoy blanched and somewhere in the distance someone – or _something_ laughed.

“What the bloody hell was that?” Malfoy shifted closer to Harry.

“No idea. Keep moving.” Harry nudged Malfoy on and tried not to look back.

* * *

The dare had been simple enough. Harry and Malfoy would go into the heart of the Forbidden Forest and then separate. They would stay in the forest alone for as long as they could manage, and the others would wait on the outskirts of the forest to see who bolted first.

_This is ridiculous._

Harry should have listened to Hermione. He should have remembered after months of hunting Horcruxes with his best friends that Hermione was usually right. Perhaps if Malfoy hadn’t been crowing all week about beating Harry to the Snitch during their last Quidditch game of the year, Harry wouldn’t have been quite so determined to take Malfoy down a peg or two.

_Worried Potter can’t take it, Granger?_

_Not in the slightest._

Harry had bristled at Malfoy’s suggestion, and taken a decision.

_We’re half-way there now – let’s just get this over with. Don’t worry, Hermione. What’s the worst that could happen?_

Based on previous form, Harry had been fairly confident about beating Malfoy hands down. He was used to the forest with its Centaurs and Acromantulas, and he had felt certain he would easily outlast Malfoy. He hadn’t expected to be there for longer than ten minutes before Ron would send the signal to let him know he had won the task.

But things hadn’t quite gone according to plan. Malfoy hadn’t bolted and something, somewhere had decided to play a game of its own.

* * *

“How did you get yourself in such a sorry state anyway?” Malfoy huffed and used his wand to slice through some of the undergrowth which made their passage through the forest more difficult than usual. “I would have thought a hero like you could look after themselves somewhere like this.”

“That thing. Whatever it was, that’s what hit me. I didn’t recognise the spell and it didn’t use a wand.”

“Why didn’t you defend yourself? That’s what I would have done.”

Harry counted to ten, slowly. “Because I thought it was you, you prize prat. I said as much right before you fed me unicorn blood.”

“Are you going to keep bringing that up?” Malfoy glared at Harry and slashed his way through more of the weeds which threatened to engulf them both. “I don’t like the idea of something pretending to be me. I’m sure my father will have something to say about this.”

“For fuck’s sake.” Harry rolled his eyes and stopped when he heard the leaves rustling in an all too familiar way. “Run.”

“What?” Malfoy turned to Harry, wide-eyed.

“Acromantulas you idiot. Run!”

* * *

“I hate this place.” Malfoy plucked at his shirt and frowned at a deep gash in the material. “This was expensive.”

“I’m afraid I don’t give a toss about your clothing at the moment.” Harry looked around the clearing they had found themselves in to make absolutely certain there wasn’t a single cobweb in sight. “We need to find our way out of here as soon as we bloody well can.”

“Still.” Malfoy held his hand up and tipped his head to the side. “Wait, I think I hear Weasley.”

Harry strained to hear and was just about able to make out the sound of Ron’s cheering which echoed through the night. He started as a flare of red light shot into the air above the trees and exploded with a loud crack into dozens of shimmering balls of light which fell slowly down into the forest.

“I knew you’d do it, Harry. Come on, mate – Malfoy’s bottled it.”

“Potter?” Malfoy looked at Harry and swallowed thickly.

“Who are you?” Harry gripped Malfoy by the scruff of his neck and hauled him close, panic rising within him as he searched Malfoy’s face for answers.

“You know who I am. Piss off.” Malfoy shook Harry free, his face ashen.

“Prove it.” Harry trained his wand on Malfoy.

“How?” Malfoy stared at Harry, his eyes wide.

Harry thought back to Hogwarts with its dark corridors and the blinding pain from his scar. He kept his wand pointed at Malfoy and spoke quietly but firmly. “Legilimency.”

“Not a chance.” Malfoy’s lips pursed and his eyes narrowed.

“ _Expelliarmus_!” Harry took advantage of Malfoy’s disgust at the suggestion and grabbed hold of his wand as it flew into the air.

“Give that back. Give that back _now_.” Malfoy’s face contorted with rage and Harry pushed the wand into the back pocket of his jeans.

“Not until you prove you’re Draco Malfoy.” Harry tried to make out what Ron, Hermione and Pansy were saying but the loud cheers had faded into the night. “Bloody hell, we don’t have time for this. They could be in trouble.”

“Fine.” Defeated, Malfoy folded his arms and faced Harry. “I hate you, Potter.”

“I don’t like you much either.” Harry lifted his wand. “ _Legilimens_.”

When Harry pushed into Malfoy’s mind it was dark and cold. Numerous pictures flashed before his eyes and Harry couldn’t help but shiver as he watched Malfoy cower in the Manor while the captives in the cellars screamed for release. A searing pain caused Harry to clutch at his forearm and he saw Malfoy curled on his bed, his face streaked with tears as he studied the dark skull and snake twisting on his arm. Another slice of pain assaulted Harry’s senses; three deep gashes across his torso while he watched himself through Malfoy’s eyes, pale and terrified. He felt the cold stone through Malfoy’s thin shirt and turned his head to the side to watch himself - Malfoy’s self - bleed out on the floor. _Sectumsempra_. The temperature dipped further still and Harry shivered, every good memory leaving him. Despite his repeated shouts in crisp expensive tones of _Expecto Patronum, Expecto Patronum_ nothing emerged from the slim wand held in a shaking, pale hand, other than thin and barely formed wisps of silver. 

Finally, the cold lifted and the sun shone brightly on Malfoy holding the Snitch aloft, pumping his fist in the air as he let out a whoop of elation.

The scene shifted and Harry looked up at Lucius Malfoy. His heart filled with a desperate desire to impress. The sharp smack of a cane across the back of Draco’s legs made Harry jump as tight, pinched tones insisted nothing was good enough. Harry watched a younger Draco sit at a long dining table, listening to his mother and father talk. He fought back a wave of nausea at the words _Mudblood_ and _Half-Breed_ murmured in rich, cultured tones which couldn't mask the abhorrent nature of the discussion. 

Harry was just about to pull back, when found himself looking at an image of him and Malfoy grappling and fighting. The steady pounding of his heart increased as the fight became more physical and finally, with angry words and violent motions he met his own green eyes, wide with momentary surprise as his lips connected with Malfoy’s.

“Get _off_. What have you done to me, Potter? You’re disgusting.” Malfoy’s guard slammed up again, forcing Harry out of his mind.

Harry dropped his hand and stared at Malfoy, the image of their fierce kiss burned on his brain.

“They’re your thoughts, Malfoy – not mine.”

“Not that one.” Malfoy’s cheeks flushed a dull pink and his lips tightened into a narrow line. 

“It doesn’t matter.” Harry pushed the thought to one side and turned to the sound of Ron’s voice which rose again, far off into the distance.

“What have you got to say for yourself, Malfoy?”

“Ronald, don’t! He looks scared out of his wits.”

“Serves him right.”

“Draco?” Parkinson sounded uncertain and Harry could picture her nudging Ron sharply in the side to get him to quieten down. “What’s the matter with you?”

“If you’re here, with me….” Harry trailed off and met Malfoy’s eyes. 

The flush left his cheeks and Malfoy’s face looked drawn and paler than usual. “Then who’s out there, with them?”

* * *

“You’re going the wrong way.”

“I’m not, this is the way we came in.” Malfoy pushed through the trees and the balmy night air stifled Harry as he tried to clear a path with some hurriedly cast spells.

“We have to get to them. Can you hear them still?” Harry strained to hear any sound from Ron, Hermione or Parkinson but there was nothing.

“Not a word. Not since Pansy last spoke.” Malfoy stopped at a fork in the path and pointed left. “That way.”

“I don’t know.” Harry followed the direction of Malfoy’s wand, all of his instincts telling him to go the other direction. “I think we have to go right.”

“Why?” Malfoy looked irritated and folded his arms across his chest.

“Instinct.” Harry shrugged and looked down the other path. “I’ve learned to rely on it.”

Malfoy looked torn and then started down the path Harry had suggested.

“I’m not going back into the forest by myself, so I suppose I’ll have to trust you.”

“Yes.” Harry followed Malfoy, surprised they hadn’t spent longer bickering over which path to take. “I suppose you will.”

* * *

Harry let out a sigh of relief when they finally reached the edge of the forest.

“Don’t even think about telling me you were right.” Malfoy scowled and clutched his wand tightly in his hand. 

“I won’t.” Harry looked around the surrounding area which looked like a battle ground. The ground was bare and desolate, and the trees to the edge of the forest looked to have suffered damage from quickly cast spells.

“Where the fuck is everyone?” Malfoy pocketed his wand and looked around, confused. 

“That’s what we need to find out.” Harry checked the surrounding area for discarded wands or any sign that something had gone horribly wrong. “I won’t let anything happen to Ron or Hermione.”

“You act like this is all my fault, Potter.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Harry rounded on Malfoy, his body tense with anger. “You drank unicorn blood – you made _me_ drink unicorn blood. Not to mention it was all the goading that pushed me into doing this stupid dare in the first place.”

“You could have just said no.” Malfoy glared. “Not to mention the unicorn blood saved your _life_ and mine too.”

“At what cost?” Harry let out a frustrated sound. “Firenze explained it to me once, long after you’d run off into the forest. If you slay a unicorn to save yourself, you condemn yourself to a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.”

“But it wasn’t to save myself.” Malfoy shrunk back at Harry’s words. “It was to save you.”

Harry looked around at the empty patch of earth where their friends should have been standing, scorched from the spells which Ron must have used to signal Harry’s victory. 

He prodded a patch of charred grass with the toe of his trainer, a wave of nausea overwhelming him.

“I’m not sure that matters.”

* * *

“What the fuck’s the matter with you?!”

When Harry and Draco reached the large doors of Hogwart’s Castle, Ron came outside full of fire and slammed Malfoy back against the wall.

“Get off me, Weasley. I mean it. Get off me now.”

“What have you done with her?” Ron looked wild and desperate and Harry reached out to pull him back from Malfoy.

“It wasn’t Malfoy, mate. There was someone else in the forest. A shapeshifter or something. What happened?”

Harry noticed Parkinson slip out from the shadows, her face streaked with tears. She looked at Malfoy as if he was something loathsome and unfamiliar.

“Hermione. We saw him with our own eyes, Harry. He said she should come and get you and he took her back into the forest. We tried to find her when she didn’t come back out, but we couldn’t – we came back to get McGonagall. You bastard!” Ron punched Malfoy hard in the face and Harry heard the dull crack of fist against bone.

Malfoy cried out and clutched his face in his hands, blood seeping through his hands. He tried uselessly to communicate with Ron who turned as footsteps sounded in the hall.

“Ronald Weasley, what is the meaning of this?”

Professor McGonagall spoke in clipped tones and ushered Malfoy towards the Hospital Wing with a reluctant Pansy. 

“It was just a game, but then he took Hermione into the forest and she didn’t come back. We looked for ages, oh _Merlin_.”

“Calm down Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger is eminently capable of looking after herself.” McGonagall placed her hand on Ron’s shoulder and turned to Harry. “Mr. Potter?”

Harry tried to speak, his throat dry. “I don’t know what happened, it was just a daft bet with Malfoy. We were trying to get out of the forest. We both saw something, like a Boggart. Something which looked just like us only it wasn’t.” 

“She’ll be alright won’t she, Professor?” Ron balled his hands into fists and looked between McGonagall and Harry. “Won’t she?”

“I’m quite sure Miss Granger is fine. She is one of the brightest witches I have had the good fortune to know. She is far more sensible than some of my _other_ Gryffindors.” McGonagall gave Harry and Ron a pointed stare. She cast a Patronus to alert other staff members and gestured to the doors of the castle. “Show me, please.”

With Ron on one side and McGonagall on the other, Harry made his way towards the Forbidden Forest for the second time that evening.

* * *

The loss of Hermione hit Ron the hardest of them all. For two weeks the staff and senior students searched the forests to no avail. It was as if she had simply disappeared.

Rumours began to spread and Malfoy lost his swagger and belligerence. Harry noticed how people began to avoid Malfoy as if they too might one day go missing. Ron looked at Malfoy sometimes with fury and distrust, his face etched with pain.

“I’m sure she’s alive. It’s Hermione. She knows how to deal with things – she’s the best of us all. You know she wouldn’t go down without a hell of a fight.”

“Do you think?” Ron looked hopeful and he met Harry’s gaze as he pushed his half-eaten breakfast away.

“I _know_.” Harry nodded firmly and pushed his own breakfast around his plate, fighting back a wave of panic. 

“You look knackered.” Ron’s brow furrowed and he studied Harry. “Are you getting sick?”

“Probably just a cold.” Harry waved away Ron’s concerns and forced down another mouthful of his breakfast.

He chewed on his food slowly, but the only thing Harry could taste was the strange, coppery flavour of unicorn blood.

* * *

Harry sought Malfoy out later that week. He found him in the dark corner of a library, his head bowed over a book.

“Malfoy.”

“Potter.” Malfoy barely glanced up from the page, and continued to read.

“You don’t look well.” Harry took in Malfoy’s pale features and the way his clothes hung from his slim frame. His skin was almost translucent and his expression etched in a permanent frown.

“Neither do you.” Malfoy flicked his gaze over Potter and gave him a bitter smile. “It seems like you were right about the unicorn blood. Any word on Granger?”

“Nothing.” Desperate, Harry reached for Malfoy’s book and closed it with a snap. “I’m trying to talk to you. We need to do something.”

“What can we possibly do?” Malfoy made no move to get back his book and he folded his hands together. “You might want to keep that.”

“The book?” Harry looked down at the cover, confused.

“Page three hundred and seventeen. I’ll see you around, Potter.” With a scrape of his chair, Malfoy stood and left.

Harry opened the book on the page Malfoy had told him to look at and began to read.

* * *

“This is getting to be a habit,” Malfoy muttered when Harry sat next to him in the library. He gestured to the sign which proclaimed that students should keep talking to a minimum and turned back to his book.

“I read that article you found.” Harry ignored Malfoy’s muttering and looked around to check nobody could hear. “The one about the Doppelganger. I think that’s what it was – in the forest, I mean.”

“I really hope it wasn’t.” Malfoy turned the page and made a note on his long roll of parchment. “Any word on Granger?”

“Nothing.” Harry swallowed back his emotions. “She’d want us to find out about the thing that took her, I know she would. She’d use books and spells and all sorts. Can you help?”

“I don’t want to get involved, Potter.” Malfoy scratched his quill against the parchment again and looked at Harry out of the corner of his eye. “But I’ve got a feeling you’re going to make me.”

“Just find out what you can. I need as much help as I can get. Ron’s not really up to researching anything at the moment and besides, you saw it too. We know more than anyone else.”

“Weasley should bloody well get ready to do whatever he can.” Malfoy closed his book and glared at Harry. “It _knows_ us now. I bet it’s got all sorts of memories from Granger. It’s going to know every damn thing about us, and there’s nothing we can do about it. We’re targets. Didn’t you read the book properly? It likes to _play_. It thrives on it. Fear, pain, grief, all of it.”

“Even more reason to stop it.”

“You can’t save everyone, you know.” Malfoy pushed his book into his bag and stood, slinging his back over his shoulder. “I doubt she’s still alive.”

“Don’t!” Harry stood and gripped Malfoy’s tie, pulling him close enough to feel Malfoy’s ragged breath on his lips. “You don’t get to say that about her. I know she’s okay.”

“How?” Malfoy pushed Harry away and stared at him. “How do you know?”

“Because she has to be.”

* * *

As quickly as she had disappeared, Hermione returned.

A Ravenclaw second year found her wandering through Hogwarts grounds, her eyes vacant and her clothing torn. Her face was streaked with mud and a shimmering silver substance which Harry recognised as soon as he saw her on the narrow hospital bed.

After their hugs and excited whoops and hollers when they discovered Hermione was alive and resting in the Hospital Wing, Harry and Ron finally settled enough to listen to what Hermione had to say. She turned her head to Harry, her eyes shining with tears. 

“I know what you and Draco did. Oh, Harry.”

“Hermione?” Confused, Ron looked across at Harry. “Harry didn’t do anything with Malfoy.”

“He drank unicorn blood.” Hermione’s voice wavered. “You knew the risks.”

“But Malfoy didn’t.” Harry fought to speak calmly. “Someone told him it was the right thing to do.”

“Who?” Ron brushed Hermione’s hair back from her face as he listened, his lips set in a grim line.

“The same thing that took me, I’m guessing.” Hermione looked across at Harry. “Have you found out anything about it?”

“Maybe.” Harry nodded. “I’m not positive I’m right, but it all seems to fit. Now I just need to work out what it wants and how to stop it.”

“I can help with any research.” Hermione sat up, looking a little brighter. 

“There’s not a lot to go on at the moment.” Keen to ensure Hermione didn’t rush straight back into her studies, Harry waved his hand dismissively.

“Whatever the hell it was, it creeped me out.” Ron shuddered. “I’d take an Acromantula over fake Malfoy any day.”

“Are you up to talking about what happened?” Harry squeezed Hermione’s hand, careful not to push. “It might help if we knew a bit more about it – the Doppleganger, I mean.”

“Is that what it’s called?” Hermione seemed lost in thought. “We just talked. I didn’t feel as though I was in any danger.”

“Why didn’t you leave?” Ron looked confused.

“Whenever I tried it was like there was this invisible force holding me in place and I couldn’t move.” Hermione kissed Ron. “I’m sorry I worried you. I heard you all looking for me, but you never seemed to look in quite the right places.”

“That’s because we’re not as smart as you.” Ron looked at Hermione with shining eyes and Harry resisted the urge to snort at their obvious displays of affection, not least because seeing Hermione alive and unharmed was making him feel equally sentimental.

Hermione brushed her hands over the duvet and pulled it up under her chin with a yawn. “Let’s not talk about it. If I’m alive it doesn’t really matter anymore, does it? I’m sure whatever it was will just stay in the forest and not cause any more trouble.”

Harry shrugged. “I still think we need to find out what we can, just in case. You should rest.”

“Yes,” Hermione agreed, smiling at Harry. “I should.”

* * *

After leaving potions class three days later, Harry found himself yanked into an empty room.

“Are you going to try to get rid of that thing in the forest?” Malfoy closed the door to the classroom with a flick of his wand and began to pace. He looked slimmer than before and his face was marred by a deep frown. “I don’t like knowing it’s out there. Have you talked to McGonagall?”

“Not yet.” Harry pushed the images of the Doppleganger to one side. “Now we have Hermione back I didn’t think there was any rush. She said it seemed pretty harmless.”

“That makes no sense.” Malfoy stopped pacing and he stared at Harry. “If you read the same book I did, you’d know that too.”

“I did bloody well read it.” Harry resisted the urge to cast a Stinging Hex in Malfoy’s direction. “I’m a bit more concerned about the fact that you poisoned us both with unicorn blood than worrying about the Doppelganger.”

“I’m just not sure there’s much we can do about that.” Malfoy refused to meet Harry’s eyes. “I spoke to Snape’s portrait”

“And?” Harry held his breath.

“There’s nothing we can do.”

“He must have said something of use,” Harry persisted.

“Trust me.” Malfoy laughed, bitterly. “Everything he did say you’re better off not knowing.”

* * *

“You and Malfoy look like death warmed up, Hermione noticed too.” Ron pushed his half-eaten breakfast around before finally discarding the plate completely. “I’ve been reading about some sort of plant growing in the forest that might help.”

“Thanks, but I don’t think I’m going back there any time soon.” Harry pushed his plate beside Ron’s. Everything tasted metallic and bland and no matter how much he ate, his weight continued to plummet alarmingly. “Besides, Snape told Malfoy it was a dead loss and I don’t feel too bad.”

“You look bloody awful.” Ron raked his gaze over Harry. “You know you do.”

“It’s always good to hear, though.” Harry mustered a grin. “That kind of flattery does wonders for a bloke’s confidence.”

“Did you tell McGonagall?”

“Nope.” Harry fiddled with his napkin and refused to meet Ron’s gaze.

“I bet her and Pomfrey would know what to do. Snape’s just a portrait now, he might have missed something.”

“I doubt it.” Harry grimaced. “If I feel any worse, I promise I’ll tell McGonagall.”

Harry didn’t want to tell anyone about the unicorn blood which had started to prey on his mind with worrying regularity. He wasn’t quite ready to hear that his life was probably over when he had just got used to the idea of living again.

“There’s something you could do. To feel better.”

Harry shook his head. “I’m not doing that. I’d be no better than Voldemort or Pettigrew, skulking through the forest and killing innocent animals to try to give myself a momentary boost. I won’t do it – not for anything.”

Ron looked defeated. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“Trust me.” Harry hoped he sounded more confident than he felt. “You won’t.”

* * *

Harry found Malfoy sitting by the Great Lake skimming stones along the surface.

“I’ve been looking for you.”

“Have you?” Malfoy brushed the grit from his hands, wrapping his arms around his legs and looking out over the water. “I hope that’s because you have some sort of plan.”

“No. I wish I did. I wanted to talk, that’s all.”

“About what?”

“I wish I knew.” Harry pillowed his head in his hands and lay back on the damp grass. “That dare was a stupid bloody idea. I wish we’d never agreed to go into that forest.”

“Me too.” Malfoy shifted until the heat of his slim frame pressed against Harry. “I didn’t think this year would end like this.”

“No?” When Harry opened his eyes, Malfoy was looking down on him, his eyes glittering strangely. “How did you think it would end?”

“Differently.” Malfoy moved away from Harry and onto his back again. “I’ve had enough of this place.”

“Not me.” Harry looked at the stars. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of Hogwarts. It’s home.”

“No it isn’t.” Harry could tell by Malfoy’s voice he was smirking. “Home is Grimmauld Place, which is a _Black_ property, in case you didn’t realise.”

“Trust me, the paintings always remind me – not to mention the house-elf.”

When Malfoy laughed, Harry turned his head to take in the way the soft light from the moon reflected off Malfoy’s features.

“Stop staring, Potter – you’re as creepy as that thing in the forest.”

Harry grinned and turned back to the stars.

* * *

“You’re taking me seriously at last.” Malfoy sat next to Harry in the library and looked at one of the books out on the table. “ _Doppelganger_. I knew you’d come round to my way of thinking eventually.”

“A paranormal double of a living person…sinister…regarded by some to be a harbinger of bad luck.” Harry winced. “It does sound a bit weird.”

“I’ve been trying to tell you that since Granger went missing.” Malfoy tapped a slim finger on the book. “It thrives on misery, from what I can gather. It’s like the opposite of a Dementor. It feeds off every bit of pain it can find and it grows stronger because of it. No wonder it made us drink unicorn blood.”

“No wonder,” Harry agreed. 

“I think you should kill it.” Malfoy shifted his chair closer and Harry breathed in the scent of the familiar cologne, resisting the urge to lean into Malfoy.

“Why don’t you kill it, you bloody prat?”

“Because _I’m_ not a war hero.” Malfoy looked smug. “I’m the brains.”

“Brains my backside.” Harry laughed, despite himself and watched Malfoy scribble some notes. “Why would it want to do anything else to us?”

Malfoy smiled grimly. “Because now it’s got a taste for it.”

* * *

“I beat you. _Again_.” Flushed and happy, Malfoy held his broom aloft and whooped in a very un-Malfoyish way. “You’re rubbish.”

“I let you win.” Harry yawned and put the Snitch back into its box, dropping his broom on the ground. “I only wanted to fly. It was you that had to turn it into a competition.”

“A bit of competition is healthy, father always said that.” Malfoy looked ridiculously pleased with himself and tugged off his robe, dropping it to the floor. “You’re going to have to pick up your game before Quidditch season starts again Potter, otherwise you’ll find yourself losing to Hufflepuff.”

“They’ve got a pretty decent team. There’s nothing wrong with losing to Hufflepuff.” Harry winked at Malfoy. “It’s Slytherin I care about.”

By way of response, Malfoy pulled Harry flush against his body and pressed their lips together hard. Harry raised his hands to push Malfoy back, but he found himself yanking Malfoy closer as he returned the kiss eagerly.

“I still hate you.” Malfoy managed to murmur against Harry’s lips as he walked him back against the castle wall and pressed against him.

“Glad to hear it.” Harry groaned into the kiss and pushed back from the wall, pressing Malfoy back against it and grinding against Malfoy as the kiss deepened.

He pushed his hands under Malfoy’s shirt and smiled against Malfoy’s lips when his movements drew a moan from Malfoy. Malfoy’s fingers scratched at Harry’s back and Harry slipped his hand over Malfoy’s chest, pressing his palm over Malfoy’s heart which thrummed steadily beneath his touch.

“Maybe this will break the curse.” Malfoy pulled back for a moment to look at Harry, his pale face flushed.

“Maybe you’re right.” Harry let himself succumb to Malfoy’s deft touch as Malfoy dropped his hands to unbuckle Harry’s belt. They moved deeper into the shadows and Harry bit down on Malfoy’s neck to stop himself from crying out when Malfoy’s pushed into Harry’s trousers and wrapped his hand around Harry’s cock.

“You’re such a slut, Potter.”

“And you’re such a brat.” Harry opened Malfoy’s trousers hurriedly and kissed him again.

All other sounds dissipated until the only thing Harry could hear was Malfoy – urgent and demanding – speaking to him in rough whispers and desperate pleas, as the rest of the world faded into the distance.

* * *

“Granger.”

“Draco.” Hermione smiled at Draco and took a seat opposite him with a wink at Harry. She had asked if she could join them in their research as soon as she started to feel well enough, and Harry knew better than to deny Hermione access to books.

Harry sat in his usual place next to Draco and twined their hands together under the table. Harry’s food had begun to taste less metallic and night after night with Draco in the shadows of the castle had made his heart lighter than before. He couldn’t help but reach up and brush Draco’s hair from his face and was met with a brilliant smile, which made his heart skip a beat.

“Love’s young dream.” Hermione laughed and tugged one of the heavy books towards her, reading carefully. “This is the one Draco found?”

“Yeah – it’s the only book which has been any use at all.”

“Not the only one.” Draco’s eyes gleamed and he looked pleased with himself. “There’s another one, or there might be. I’ve been reading that one book over and over until finally, I saw it.”

“Saw what?” Harry laughed at Draco’s enthusiasm and wrapped his arm around him.

“What we need to do to stop it.” Draco settled back in his seat and leaned into Harry’s touch. “It’s so simple, I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.”

“See what?” Hermione leaned forward, excited and Draco shook his head.

“Not until I have the book which confirms it, although I’m sure it’s right.”

“Where’s Ron?” Harry looked at the clock and frowned. “He should be here by now.”

“He mentioned something about blue foxglove. I’m sure he’ll be along shortly.”

“Foxglove?” Harry’s body chilled. “He was banging on about a plant in the forest which might counteract the effect of unicorn blood.”

“Foxglove wouldn’t do that.” Draco frowned and looked up from his book. “I told you, I spoke to Snape. If anything that would have the opposite effect. It’s poisonous.”

Hermione paled. “He could be in trouble – surely he wouldn’t have gone to the forest by himself?”

“If he thought it would save Potter he probably would.”

The same sense of panic which had overwhelmed Harry when he had first discovered Hermione had gone missing began to gnaw at him again and he stood quickly. 

“I’m going to look for him.”

“I’ll come with you.” Hermione made to stand, and Harry held up his hand.

“No, this is my mess. I’ll go and tell McGonagall the whole sorry story like I should have done ages ago. Please wait here, I can’t worry about you both being in danger.” Harry gave Hermione a sheepish grin. “Again.”

Hermione swallowed and sat back down. “If you’re not back in an hour, we’re coming to find you.”

“I’ll be back within the hour, I promise.”

* * *

“Professor McGonagall?” Harry made his way through the corridors and bumped into McGonagall, who gripped his shoulders firmly.

“Harry. Oh goodness, Harry.” Her eyes shining with unshed tears, McGonagall loosened her grip and made a noticeable effort to compose herself. “I’m afraid I have news.”

“Ron…” Harry swallowed, a chill settling over his body.

“Mr. Weasley?” McGonagall looked confused for a moment and shook her head. “No, Harry. I was looking for you to tell you we found Miss Granger.”

Harry frowned. “Hermione?”

“One of the students found her by the lake. I’m afraid she has been dead for some time.”

Harry shook his head, fuzzy snippets of previous conversations coming back to him in a rush. 

_I’m sure whatever it was will just stay in the forest and not cause any more trouble._

_Doppleganger. Double walker. A shadow that accompanies every person._

_Finally, I saw it…What we need to do to stop it._

_Foxglove…It’s poisonous_

A chill settled over Harry’s body together with a fierce rush of desperation. “Hermione. I saw her in the library with Draco. We were just talking, then I went to find Ron.”

Harry began to run, ignoring McGonagall as she shouted after him. He pushed open the door to the library, ignoring the irritated shushing from some of the students. He ran to the place he had been sitting only moments before, but nobody was there.

He ran back out into the corridor, but no matter which direction he looked in, Hermione and Draco were nowhere to be seen. 

A familiar voice stopped Harry in his tracks as he began to make his way desperately through the throngs of students finishing their lessons. He noticed McGonagall advancing towards him and tried to focus on Ron. 

“Hold on, mate. Where’s the fire?”

“Malfoy and Hermione. Have you seen them?”

“What the hell is Hermione doing with _Malfoy_?” Ron grinned but his smile faltered as he took in Harry’s expression. “I was looking for her. I wanted to find out a bit more about this foxglove she told me about. I think it’s going to stop the curse from the unicorn blood, she was sure it would work.”

Ron’s words made Harry shiver and confirmed his every fear. “There’s no Hermione.” Harry blurted out his words in a rush. “Whatever was in the forest with us can take any shape. I don’t know why I didn’t think about it. It’s come to the castle and it’s used Hermione’s form to do it.”

“Don’t be daft.” Ron’s voice faltered and the way his features paled told Harry everything he needed to know.

“You’ve spent all that time with her since she came back. You know that’s not Hermione as well as I do.”

McGonagall finally reached them, dismissing the children in the corridors with clipped, urgent instruction. Harry leaned against Ron and he thought of the years he had spent with Hermione by his side – brilliant, wonderful Hermione. He closed his eyes for a moment to try to feel Draco’s slim hand twined in his own, and remember how it felt to be _alive_ and full of hope and possibility. 

Bile rose in Harry’s throat and he called out their names, over and over as a dull roar drowned out the urgent questions from Ron and McGonagall.

For the first time in well over a month, when Harry swallowed all he could taste was the rich, full-flavour of unicorn blood.

_~Fin~_

**Author's Note:**

> Please return to [LIVEJOURNAL ](http://hd-hurtfest.livejournal.com/)to leave a comment there. Feel free to leave a comment here, too. :)


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